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(No Model.) ,3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. CLARK.

i OSGILLATING STEAM ENGINE. l No. 371,250.

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OSGILLA'TING STEAM ENGINE. No. 371,250. Patented-Oct. l1, 1887.-

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(No Model.)

J CLARK.

OSGILLATING STEAM ENGINE.

Nasr/"1,250, Patented out. 11, 1887'.

N, PETIIIS Pmllognnur, Wallington, CLC.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo JAMES CLARK, OF MEDINA, NEW' YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY V. CLARK,

OF SAME PLACE.

OSCILLATING STEAM-ENGINE.

LEJ'PIEICIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,250, dated October l1, 1887.

Application filed April 2, 1887.

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMEsCLARK; a citizen of the United States, residing at Medina, in the county of Orleans and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Oscillating Steam-Engines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in oscillating steam-engines; and the novelty conio sists in the peculiar combination of devices and novel construction and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation showing an engine having three cylinders embodying my invention, one of the cylinders and the parts operating therewith being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View on the line as or of Fig. 1. 2o Fig. 3 is an end elevation with the inclosing shell or jacket and the bed-platein transverse section. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of the four-way valve.

Referring to the drawings, in which like z5 letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures, A designates the bed-plate provided for au engine embodying my present invention. This bed-plate is cast or formed in a single piece of metal and ofa length sufficient for three cylinders and their several parts. The bed-plate is made concavo-conveXl in cross-section, or it may be made V- shaped, so that thelongitudinal center thereof will be depressed below its sides, to thereby cause the oil and water of condensation from the machinery to iiow toward the middle of the bed-plate, which thus serves asa drip-pan, as will be readily understood. The sides of this bed plate are provided with vertical 4o iianges a, which extend upwardly from the bed-plate, and the latter is further provided with depending feet a', which restfirmly and solidly on a suitable bed and are bolted or otherwise secured in place.

B designates a series of standards, which are located at suitable regular intervals on the bed-plate, and which constitute the framework of my improved engine, in which are mounted the steam-chest, cylinder, and other 5o parts ofthe engine, as will more fully appear presently. Each of these standards is cast or formed of a single piece and of the same shape andr construction as its fellow standards, and each standard has the inclined sides b, which are connected near their diverging ends by a transverse trussbrace, b. The lower extremities of the sides of the standards are formed with perforated ears or lugs b2, through which are passed bolts which secure the standards very iirnilyto the bed-plate, as shown, and 6) the upper converging ends of the sides of the standards are formed with a circular bearing,

b3, in the lower side of which is formed an opening or openings, in which works a clamping-screw, b", which binds the steam-chest in place in the bearing and prevents the same from movement.

The bearings b3 are arranged in line with each other, and through them is passed a longitudinal steam-chest, C, which is continuous 7o throughout the engine and serves to supply all the cylinders with steam, instead of providing each cylinder with a separate steamchest. This steanrchest is held in place against either endwise or rotary movement by the binding-screws b, and the ends thereof are closed by removable heads c c', which are bolted thereto, the steam supply andexhaust pipes D D (only one of which is shown) entering the steam-chest through the head c', and 8c the opposite head, c, having a bushing, O', for the passage therethrough of a rotary cut-off. This steam-chest is made circular in cross-section, its periphery being turned 'smooth and true, and the chest is provided with a longitudinai central partition, c2, which divides its chamber into two separate or isolated chambers, C2 C3, the former of which constitutes a supply-chamber and the latter an exhaustchamber, with which chambers the supply and 9o exhaust pipes D D communicate.

Vertical ports c3 ct are formed in the lower side of the longitudinal steam-chest, which communicate with the supply and exhaust chambers G'z G3, respectively, and these ports 95 are arranged'on opposite sides of the lower end of the vertical partition c2, as shown in Fig. 2. In the opposing faces of the steamchest and the vertical partition c2 of the supply-chamber (ll `are formed curved recesses d, 10o in which isv snugly fitted a rotary cut-off, Dl, the recesses thus serving as the bea-rings or supports for the cut-off, as is obvious. The eut-od is made inthe form of a round rod of suitable metal, and it extends continuously and longitudinally throughout the supplychamber of the steam-chest. The cut-off or rod is arranged immediately over the outletport c3 of the supply-chamber, so as to out off the steam from the port when the port of the oscillating cylinder` is in alignment with the inlet-port c* of the exhaust-chamber C, and the said cut-off is provided on one side with a notch or recess, d, which forms a steam-passagenwhen the cnt-off isin motion, said recess serving to permit steam to pass through the Same and into the port' c3 when it faces either the wall of the steanrchest or the partition, as is obvious.

The rotary cut-off is provided with one of these notches for each of the three oscillating cylinders to admit the steam from the supplychamber to the outlet-port of the chest at suitable intervals, and one end of the cut-off is extended or passed through the bushing C of the head c of the steamchest, and has a sprocket-wheel, (3*, affixed thereto.

E designates a crank-shaft, which extends longitudinally above the bed-plate and the truss-bars of the upright standards B and between the sides b thereof. This crank-shaft is journaled at intermediate points ofits length in suitable bearings or boxes, e, on the trussbars of the uprights, and said shaft has three cranks, 1, 2, and 3, formed at intermediate points of its length, the said cranks being set at different angies to the shaft, as shown.

F, F, and FZ designate the oscillating cylinders, one of which is provided for each crank of the shaft. Each cylinder is provided with open ends, as shown, and arranged in an upright position, as is usual in engines of this class, and the upper end of each cylinder is closed by a head, g, which has an annular flange, through which and a similar flange on the upper end of the cylinder are passed bolts that secure the head g to the cylinder. The head g is provided with a single central port, g', which is adapted to alternately align with the ports c3 o4 of the supply and exhaust chambers of the steam-chest as the cylinder oscillates back and forth. Each cylinder of the engine is suspended from the steam-chest and is adapted to oscillate back and forth thereon, the steam-chest being held stationary and made circular in cross-section for this purpose. The heads g of the cylinders are each provided with a seniicircular groove or recess, g, in its upper side, and the port g opens centrally through this groove or recess, the lower side of the cylindricala steam chest fitting snugly and closely in the said groove or recess.

G designates a saddle, which is made semicircular on its lower or under side to fit very closely over the upper side of the cylindrical steamchest, and this saddle is secured to the head g of the cylinder by through-bolts g3, this curved side of the saddle and groove or recess in the head g forming a complete eircular opening, in which the cylindrical steamchest is snugly fitted. The cylinder is suspended from the steam-chest by the fixed connected head and saddle, and it is free to turn or oseillate back and forth, the steam-chest serving as the pivot or trunnion of the cylinder.

Each cylinder has a piston, H, operating therein, which is made in two parts or sections, h h', each in t-he form of a disk. VEach of these sections is provided with a central threaded opening, which aligns with the corresponding opening in the other section, and through these aligned threaded openings of the sections is passed and-fitted the upper end ofra piston-rod, I, which is threaded continuously throughoutits entire length. The disks or sections of the piston are secu rely connected to the piston-rod by the threads of the latter engaging the threads of the openings in the disks, and both the disks, or only the upper one, if deemed desirable, can be moved or adjusted over the rod toward the head g of the cylinder to compensate for wear and take up lost motion.

The lower end of the oscillating cylinder is provided withan integral annular tlange,j,

in diametrically-opposite points of which are l formed transversethreaded apertures,in which are screwed the upper threaded ends of guiderods J,jam-nuts j being fitted on the threaded ends of the said guide rods and bearing against the annular Iiange j of the cylinder to prevent displacement of the said rods.- rlhe guiderods are thus carried by the oscillating cylinder, and they depend therefrom on opposite sides of` the lower open end of the same, said rods being made hexagonal or of any other preferred angular form in cross-section.

A cross-head, K, is fitted on each crank 1, 2, and 3 ofthe longitudinal shaft E, and each cross-head has an integral yoke, k, which is extended or projected above the upper side of the crank, so as to leave an intermediate space between the lower curved side of' the yoke and the upper side of theerank.v This yoke is provided in its upper end with a vertical central opening, which is interiorly threaded, and through which the lower end of the threaded piston-rod I is passed, so that the crosshead is adjustably connected to the piston-rod. A curved bearing-plate, L, is fitted very snugly over the upper side of the crank and between the lower ends of the arms of the yoke lc, and the lower end of the piston-rod I bears or impinges upon this bearing-plate to prevent it from becoming displaced by the shock or Inotions of the engine.

The wear between the faces of the crank,the cross-head, and the bearing-plate, incident to the rubbing action and friction between these parts, can be readily t-aken up by merely turning the piston-rod in the yoke of the crosshead, and thus adjust the latterlongitudinally of the piston-rod and cause the lower end of said rod to bear upon the bearing-plate, after which thejoint-nutj2 on the threaded piston- IIO ISO

lrod is adjusted to bear rmly against the upper side of the yoke and thus prevent the parts from becoming easily displaced relatively of each other. Guideboxes M are fitted snugly around the guide-rods J on the oscillating cylinder, and theseguide-boxes are connected with the cross-head by intermediate bolts or screws, M. The outer ends of these bolts are made smooth and plane and tted in smooth apertures m in the guide-boxes, to serve as trunnions or pivots, and the inner threaded ends ofthe bolts are fitted in like openings in opposite sides of the cross-head, adjustable binding-nuts m being fitted on opposite ends of the threaded bolts and bearing against the opposing sides ofthe cross-head and the guideboxes. By turning these bolts in the threaded openings in the cross-head and moving the nuts m' thereon in the proper direction the wear on the guide rods and boxes can be readil)T taken up and the motion of the parts rendered easy and smooth. One end of the crankshaft is extended beyond the bearing provided therefor in one of the end standards, B, as shown in Fig. 1, and on this extended. end of the crankshaft is tted an endwisemovable sleeve, N. This sleeve is provided with pins a n, which project into straight longitudinal grooves a in the extended end of the crank-shaft, so that while it is capable ol' an endwisc or sliding movement on the crankshaft it is also adaptedto rotate or turn therewith. The crank-shaft is further provided with an annular groove, and the sleeve has diametrically-opposite inclined slots, through which project guide-pins 0, that are fixed to the hub of a sprocketwheel, O, said pins eX- tending into the annular grooves in the crankshaft. It will be seen that as the shaft rotates, the sleeve and the sprocket-wheel rotate therewith, the sprocket-wheel being held from lateral movement on the shaft, and thereby retained in line with the other sprocket-wheel, (3*, by its'pins h'tting in lthe annular groove, while the sleeve is capable of an endwise movement on the shaft independently of the latter in order to rotate the sprocket-wheel a onehalf revolution, and thereby change the advanced relative movement ofthe rotary cutoff to the crank-shaft.

The sprocket-wheel O is connected by an ini termediatesprocket-chain, O,with the sprocket-wheel Con the rotary cut-off,so that the latter is positively driven from the crank-shaft and is controlled by the sprocket-wheels and chain. The outer end ot' the sliding sleeve has an annular groove, in which is fitted the bifurcated end of an operating-lever, P. By means of this adjustable sleeve and hand-lever the rotary cutoff can be readily controlled to out off the steam at any given point of stroke and while the engine is in motion.

Q designates the removable inclosing jacket or shell, which is curved, as shown, to fit over the engine, and to the lower free edges of the said shell are riveted inclined plates q, which form crotchcs in thelower edges of the shell.` In the apex of these crotches is placed a suitable packing,'q, and the upper edges of the vertical iianges c of the bed-plate are tted in the crotches and against the packings therein,to thereby removably support the shell or jacket in place. This shell or jacket serves to conceal the machinery from view and to protect it from dirt, &c., and it can be lifted out of place with ease and facility when it is desired to have access to the same for repairs or other purposes.

R designates lubricating or oil cups, which are fixed in the upper portion of theinclosing shell or jacket, said cups being of any preferred pattern or style. One of these cups is arranged immediately over each cylindenand t-he saddle ot' the latter is provided with an aperture or slot, r, which is in line with the outlet-nozzle of the oil-cup-i during a part or the whole of each vibration or oscillation of the cylinder, so that the oil will be free to enter between the steam-chest and saddle, and thereby lubricate the said parts. A portion `of the lubricant supplied to the saddle will find its way around the steam-chest and pass down through the port g into the cylinder on the inner sides of the latter, to lubricate the piston, and thence drip into the bed-plate,and a part of the oil will drip from the bearing g into the bearing e ofthe crank-shaft to lubricate the latter, the bearing e being arranged immediately below the bearing g2. During the oscillations of the cylinder the lower ends of theguide-rods dip in the oil in the bedplate, and the sliding guide-boxes take the oil from-the lower ends ol' the rods,and are thereby lubricated.

rlhe erossfhead K is provided in its lower side with an opening or passage, S, which is inclined, as shown,"and thecross-head is adapted to sweep in close proximity to the curved side of the bed-plate during the rotations of the crank, so that the oil or lubricant in the bedplate will be forced through the inclined pas` sage S, and thus lnbricate the crank and crosshead. It will thus be seen that all of the working parts of each cylinder of the engine are thoroughly and effectively lubricated from a single oil-cup.

A tube, S', passes through one sideof the bed-plate, and enters the chamber of the latter a short distance below the line of the oillevel, so that the water of condensation can be readilydrawn offwiihout disturbing or wasting the oil.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which it relates from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings.

By suspending the cylinder from the steamchest and arranging the ports so that the cylinder will take steam from the chest at its suspended end the pressure of the steam between the piston and the cylinder-head makes the pivotal joint of the cylinder with the steamchest self-packing. The cylinder is also perfectly balanced ot' itself without the addition IOO of auxiliary balances ,7 and is therefore capable of running at a high rate of speed.

The engine is easily controlled by a slight movement of the operating-lever P, and, as it is composed of comparatively few parts, it is simple and light in construction, and cheap.

T designates a four-way valve or cock l1aving its shell provided with the four radial nozzles f, and to two opposite nozzles the supply and exhaust pipes D D are connected, and with one of the other nozzles, t, the supplypipe from the boiler is connected, while the remaining nozzle, t2, serves as the exhaust from the pipe D. The turning plug` T has two segmental passages, U U, with intermediate solid portions, U2, for closing the nozzles. Vhen the plug is turned so that the passage U opens into the supply-nozzlest t', the steam is admitted to the supply-chamber C2 of the steamAchest to move the crankshaft in one direction, and when the plug is turned to cause the passage U to communicate with thenozzle t and the nozzle t2, or the one to which the exhaustpipe D is connected, the live steam enters the exhaust-chamber C3, to drive the engines and rotate the crankshaft in the reverse directions. The engine can thus be driven in either direction by simply turning the plug of the four-way valve or cock.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with an oscillating cylinder and a crank-shaft, ol" a cross-head fitted on the crankshaft and having a vertical yoke, a piston having a threaded piston rod adjust ably connected to the yoke, and a bearingplate fitted between the arms ofthe yoke and having the lower end ofthe piston-rod bearing on the same, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with an engine and its bed-plate, the latter being provided with vertical danges, of a cover or jacket for said engine, comprising the curved shell and the independent inclined plates secured at one edge to the shell to embrace said lianges and thereby form a crotch for the same, substantially as described.

3. A steanrchest and acontinuously-rotating eut-off located in the supply-chamber therein, in combination with two cylinders suspended from said chest, as and for the purpose described.

4. A steam-chest and arotary cut-oft located in the supply-chamber thereof, immediately over the inlet-port, and having a notch on one side thereof, in combination with two pistoncylinders suspended from said chest, as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination of a fixed cylindrical steam-chest, a series of oscillating cylinders pivotally suspended from the steam-chest and each having a single port adapted to alternately align with inlet and exhaust ports ofthe steamehest, a crank-shaft, and the pistons operating in the cylinders and the rotary cut-offextending longitudinally through the supply-chamber of the steam-chest and geared to the crank-shaft to be rotated continuously thereby when the engine is in operation, as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination, with the suspended oscillating piston-cylinder, of a rotary crankshaft having an annular groove, a sliding sleeve tltted thereon, having the diagonal slots, a sprocket-wheel having pins fitting in slots of the sleeve and the groove ofthe shaft, a rotary cut-ot'f connected to the wheel by an intel-,mediate chain, and a hand-lever connected to the sleeve for controlling the latter, as and for the purpose described.

7. The combination, with the suspended oscillatingA piston-cylinder, of a crankshaft, .a rotary out off geared to the shaft, to bevdriven thereby, and mechanism for imparting a slight rotary movement to one of the wheels of thev gearing, and thereby vary the relative movement ofthe cut-off to the shaft, as and for the purpose described.

8. Ihe combination, with the suspended oscillating piston-cylinder, of a crankshaft, a rotary cut-off, a sliding sleeve connected to the shaft to be capable ofa rotary motion therewith, a rotary wheel geared to the cutoff and carried by the sleeve and adapted to be turned or rotated for a portion of a revolution when the sleeve is moved endwise, and a lever for moving the sleeve, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afxed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' JAMES CLARK.

Vitnesses:

JOHN H. SIGGEns, R. W. BISHOP. 

